Chinese word

素菜

Pronunciation

Pinyinsù cài

Meaning

  • nounvegetarian dish

Example

我想点一份素菜。wǒ xiǎng diǎn yí fèn sù cài

I want to order a vegetarian dish.

Illustration for 素菜 (vegetarian dish)

More examples

这道素菜很清淡，也很健康。zhè dào sù cài hěn qīng dàn yě hěn jiàn kāng

This vegetarian dish is light and healthy.

Core concept

A prepared dish built mainly from plant foods, with meat and seafood left out.

Common phrases

  • 点一份素菜diǎn yí fèn sù cài

    order one vegetarian dish

  • 来一份素菜lái yí fèn sù cài

    have one vegetarian dish

  • 素菜拼盘sù cài pīn pán

    vegetarian dish platter

Similar words

素食sù shí: Vegetarian food or a way of eating that avoids meat and seafood.
荤菜hūn cài: A prepared dish that contains meat or seafood.
蔬菜shū cài: Edible parts of plants, such as leaves, roots, and stems.

Definition in Chinese

以蔬菜、豆制品、菌类等植物性食材为主，不含肉类和海鲜的菜肴。yǐ shū cài dòu zhì pǐn jūn lèi děng zhí wù xìng shí cái wéi zhǔ bù hán ròu lèi hé hǎi xiān de cài yáo

Word origin

素 (sù, "vegetarian") + 菜 (cài, "dish") forms a food term for a dish centered on plant ingredients.

Usage tips

  • On a Chinese menu, 素菜 (sùcài, "vegetarian dish") excludes meat and seafood, but eggs, dairy, and animal-based stock may depend on the restaurant.

Other meanings

  • vegetable dishnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word